Phytoplankton off Coast of Bahía Blanca, Argentina

A phytoplankton bloom can be observed off the coast of Argentina (right half of image), near Bahía Blanca (upper left corner). Click here for previous images of this bloom and others off the Argentine coast last year.

Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye. However, when present in high enough numbers, they may appear as a green discoloration of the water due to the presence of chlorophyll within their cells.